jeffcrom Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I just picked up an album I should already have been familiar with, A by Jimmy Raney. It has three Prestige sessions from 1954 and 1955. I was quite taken with the playing of trumpeter John Wilson on the 1955 sessions. He plays with a beautiful sound and nice imagination; he sounds like part of that New York cool trumpet school - Fruscella, Don Joseph, Phil Sunkel. If I hear any weakness in his playing, it's that he occasionally leaves a phrase sounding unfinished, or unlinked to the next phrase. But that's not often. Ira Gitler's original liner notes only state that Wilson was with the Les Elgart Orchestra at the time. A little poking around the web reveals that he played with lots of big bands, and taught at Duquesne University from 1970 to 1996. Here's a short article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette which gives a little of his history. The Raney session was apparently Wilson's recording debut. Is anyone aware of any other small-group recordings featuring John Wilson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I think he's on some small group sessions led by Phil Woods and Gerry Mulligan. I can check later when I get home. It looks like the Phil Woods that I was thinking of was actually the Jimmy Raney session. It also looks like he's on the Phil Sunkel Jazz Concerto Grosso album. More from home later perhaps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I thought there was a small group session with Zoot Sims, but the trumpeter on the date I was thinking of was Jerry Lloyd. John Wilson was with Benny Goodman in 1949, but Doug Mettome was in the band and was more likely to get the trumpet solos. In 1954 he shows up on a Jimmy Raney session, and a Pete Rugolo big band date (again with other trumpeters such as Doug Mettome and Leon Merian). In 1955, there are two more Jimmy Raney Quintet sessions on Prestige. In 1956, he's on the Fourmost Guitars LP on ABC-Paramount. In 1957, he's on part of the Jazz Concerto Grosso album (Phil Sunken). Thereafter, there's not much. There's a John Wilson on trumpet or flugelhorn who shows up on some big band albums in the 1970s and 1980s. Could be the same guy. There's also a circa 2010 album by The Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy on MCG (Manchester Craftsmen Guild) that has him on flugelhorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted July 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Friedman Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 John Wilson plays on 4 of the 8 tracks on this CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 On 27/07/2016 at 9:25 AM, jeffcrom said: I just picked up an album I should already have been familiar with, A by Jimmy Raney. It has three Prestige sessions from 1954 and 1955. I was quite taken with the playing of trumpeter John Wilson on the 1955 sessions. He plays with a beautiful sound and nice imagination; he sounds like part of that New York cool trumpet school - Fruscella, Don Joseph, Phil Sunkel. If I hear any weakness in his playing, it's that he occasionally leaves a phrase sounding unfinished, or unlinked to the next phrase. But that's not often. Ira Gitler's original liner notes only state that Wilson was with the Les Elgart Orchestra at the time. A little poking around the web reveals that he played with lots of big bands, and taught at Duquesne University from 1970 to 1996. Here's a short article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette which gives a little of his history. The Raney session was apparently Wilson's recording debut. Is anyone aware of any other small-group recordings featuring John Wilson? I used to have A. Didn't Wilson record with Jimmy other times? Jimmy told me Wilson was a 'great player'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 Wilson recorded with Jimmy Raney on the following four sessions (courtesy of Lord): John Wilson & Jimmy Raney [R1024-16] Jimmy Raney Jimmy Raney Quintet: John Wilson (tp) Phil Woods (as) Jimmy Raney (g) Bill Crow (b) Joe Morello (d) Hackensack, N.J., August 11, 1954 602 Stella by starlight New Jazz NJLP1103, Prest 1359 603 Jo Anne - 604 Back and blow - , Prest 1359 605 Five - Note: All above titles also on Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD] titled "Jimmy Raney Quintet - Complete Recordings"; see flwg sessions to May 4, 1956 for rest of CD. All above titles also on Prestige PRLP203, PR7673, Bellaphon (G)BSJ4056. --------------------------------------- John Wilson & Jimmy Raney [R1025-16] Jimmy Raney Jimmy Raney Quintet: John Wilson (tp) Hall Overton (p) Jimmy Raney (g) Teddy Kotick (b) Nick Stabulas (d) Hackensack, N.J., February 18, 1955 698 Spring is here Prest PRLP199, OJC CD1706-2 [CD] 699 Tomorrow, fairly cloudy - - 700 What's new ? - - 701 One more for the mode - - Note: All above titles also on Metronome (Swd)MEP135 titled "Jimmy Raney 1955, Vol. 1"; an EP release. All above titles also on Prestige PR7089, OJC 1706 (both titled "Jimmy Raney A"), Victor (Jap)SMJ-6519, Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. --------------------------------------- Jimmy Raney [R1026-16] Hackensack, N.J., March 8, 1955 707 A foggy day Prest PRLP199, OJC CD1706-2 [CD] 708 Someone to watch over me - - 709 Cross your heart - - 710 You don't know what love is - - Note: All above titles also on Metronome (Swd)MEP136 titled "Jimmy Raney 1955, Vol. 2"; an EP release. All above titles also on OJC 1706, Prestige PRLP7089, Victor (Jap)SMJ-6519, all titled "A", Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. ---------------------------------------- Jimmy Raney [R1027-16] The Fourmost Guitars: same pers. Hackensack, N.J., May 4, 1956 Two drams of Soma [Blues in F] ABC-Paramount ABC109 Scholar's mate [Tickle toe changes] - Gone with the wind (jw out) - Yesterdays - Note: All above titles also on Jasmine (E)JASM1041, Columbia (Jap)YW-8526; the rest of all 3 lp's by Chuck Wayne, 1956 & Dick Garcia, December 1955. All above titles also on Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 4 hours ago, jazztrain said: Wilson recorded with Jimmy Raney on the following four sessions (courtesy of Lord): John Wilson & Jimmy Raney [R1024-16] Jimmy Raney Jimmy Raney Quintet: John Wilson (tp) Phil Woods (as) Jimmy Raney (g) Bill Crow (b) Joe Morello (d) Hackensack, N.J., August 11, 1954 602 Stella by starlight New Jazz NJLP1103, Prest 1359 603 Jo Anne - 604 Back and blow - , Prest 1359 605 Five - Note: All above titles also on Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD] titled "Jimmy Raney Quintet - Complete Recordings"; see flwg sessions to May 4, 1956 for rest of CD. All above titles also on Prestige PRLP203, PR7673, Bellaphon (G)BSJ4056. --------------------------------------- John Wilson & Jimmy Raney [R1025-16] Jimmy Raney Jimmy Raney Quintet: John Wilson (tp) Hall Overton (p) Jimmy Raney (g) Teddy Kotick (b) Nick Stabulas (d) Hackensack, N.J., February 18, 1955 698 Spring is here Prest PRLP199, OJC CD1706-2 [CD] 699 Tomorrow, fairly cloudy - - 700 What's new ? - - 701 One more for the mode - - Note: All above titles also on Metronome (Swd)MEP135 titled "Jimmy Raney 1955, Vol. 1"; an EP release. All above titles also on Prestige PR7089, OJC 1706 (both titled "Jimmy Raney A"), Victor (Jap)SMJ-6519, Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. --------------------------------------- Jimmy Raney [R1026-16] Hackensack, N.J., March 8, 1955 707 A foggy day Prest PRLP199, OJC CD1706-2 [CD] 708 Someone to watch over me - - 709 Cross your heart - - 710 You don't know what love is - - Note: All above titles also on Metronome (Swd)MEP136 titled "Jimmy Raney 1955, Vol. 2"; an EP release. All above titles also on OJC 1706, Prestige PRLP7089, Victor (Jap)SMJ-6519, all titled "A", Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. ---------------------------------------- Jimmy Raney [R1027-16] The Fourmost Guitars: same pers. Hackensack, N.J., May 4, 1956 Two drams of Soma [Blues in F] ABC-Paramount ABC109 Scholar's mate [Tickle toe changes] - Gone with the wind (jw out) - Yesterdays - Note: All above titles also on Jasmine (E)JASM1041, Columbia (Jap)YW-8526; the rest of all 3 lp's by Chuck Wayne, 1956 & Dick Garcia, December 1955. All above titles also on Fresh Sound (Sp)FSRCD423 [CD]. Thanks. I kinda figured as much, but could not recall which dates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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